Live Music Picks: October 12-18

THURSDAY 10/12The Church, Helio SequenceUnless you've been keeping yourself captive under some soundproof blanket, you know "Under the Milky Way," the 1988 hit that brought the Australian light psychedelic pop band The Church to U.S. acclaim. In much the same way the galaxy obscures the viewing of other astral bodies, the band's biggest hit obscures a stellar catalog that includes 26 full-length releases. Fans know this, but casual listeners who only know "Under the Milky Way" will find their money well-spent on this show, as they recognize other hits like "Metropolis" and discover brilliance in the rest of the band's oeuvre. This show comes on the heels of their latest release, Man Woman Life Death Infinity (Unorthodox), extending the efforts of 2014's Further/Deeper (Unorthodox) to explore lyrical galaxies. Beaverton, Ore., indie-rock duo Helio Sequence opens, still riding high on their acclaimed self-titled sixth album on Sub Pop Records. (Brian Staker) The State Room, 638 S. State, 8 p.m., $40-$106, 21+, thestateroom.com

William Thoren

FRIDAY 10/13George Clinton & Parliament FunkadelicMaybe there's something to that Planet Kolob noise that the Dominant Local Religion doesn't wanna talk about anymore, lest their doctrine start sounding like an L. Ron Hubbard book. But that's the only explanation for the yearly visits from Dr. Funkenstein's intergalactic hoopty The Mothership—unless Salt Lake City has finally amassed enough Funk Points to rate inclusion in the Lonely Planet Guide to Surprisingly Funky Predominantly White Cities. Or we're just lucky. Or we're conveniently located on the most expedient tour routing. Let's go with luck, because when the world's foremost purveyors of intergalactic space-whomp hit you three years in a row, you're cool. Then again, if you think about it, we probably spend a shit-ton of money on flashlights, what with all those 72-hour kits we like to assemble in the event of an apocalypse—and one of P-Funk's biggest hits is "Flash Light" ... (Randy Harward) The Depot, 400 W. South Temple, 8 p.m., $35 presale; $37 day of show, 21+, depotslc.com

Pedro Castro

The Spacetime Ripples, ManhighThere's a lot of great music in Ogden, and every once in a while a cool touring band sneaks through there unbeknown to us down in SLC. It ain't happening this time. Stoner rockers The Spacetime Ripples hail from Belo Horizonte in Brazil's Minas Gerais state—the same one that gave us one of the world's biggest thrash acts, Sepultura. The band started out under the name Tempo Plástico, issuing the album IT (tempoplastico.bandcamp.com) in 2015 before deciding their new music was heavier and more psychedelic and, as such, needed a new name. The moniker signifies, they say on their website, "a chance, a shortcut, a possibility to get further, to a place never thought before." The difference between IT and the new eponymous EP (thespacetimeripples.com) is negligible—it's all hard-driving, space-truckin' stoner rock, so it's hard to follow that logic. But what matters is that it's badass, and you'll probably pick up a few words of Brazilian Portuguese. (Sorry, guys, all I know is, "Não falo bem Portugues" and "vai se foder.") The foursome's current tour started in late September with an appearance as Youbloom Fest in Los Angeles, and now they're circulating throughout the Western end of the U.S., hitting major cities in Arizona, Texas, California, Washington, Colorado and New Mexico. Why they're landing in Ogden is anyone's guess. Maybe something in the Ripple is wonky—or maybe, in an alternate universe, it's easier to see that Ogden's a decent place to hang out. Albuquerque desert rockers Manhigh open. The lone track on manhigh.bandcamp.com, "Love Letters from Space," is their debut release. (Randy Harward) Brewskis, 244 25th St., 10 p.m., $5, brewskisonline.net

Shawn Brackbill

The War on Drugs, The BuildingBlame Nixon. He's the one who declared the war on drugs that the U.S. government has been waging for more than four decades. But when it comes to the Philadelphia-based indie-rock band The War on Drugs, it's more Vile—Kurt Vile, to be precise. He founded the group with singer-guitarist Adam Granduciel a dozen or so years ago, though he split in late 2008 to do his own thing. The band's latest, A Deeper Understanding (Atlantic Records), is their third under Granduciel's exclusive oversight, and it emphasizes their identity as a more synth-oriented unit in the niche between atmospheric, mildly psychedelic sounds and pop music. Like the government program after which it is named, the band seems to have taken on a life of its own, but unlike that other War on Drugs, the musical one is much more pleasant to be in the midst of. Opening the show is folk duo The Building, featuring TWOD guitarist-keyboardist Anthony LaMarca and his bro, Angelo. Their album Reconciliation (thebuilding.bandcamp.com) is a feast of gauzy songs that recall Neil Young's lonelier moments. (BS) The Complex, 536 W. 100 South,7 p.m., $31, all ages, thecomplexslc.com

Jo Anna via WIKIMEDIA

MONDAY 10/16Janet JacksonThird time's a charm—or is it? This marks attempt No. 3 by Janet Jackson to perform here since Oct. 24, 2015. The second was to take place on June 29, 2016. Each time, she canceled the show after we devoted some of this prime paper real estate to her imminent appearance. Then she's all, "Psych! I'm gonna have a baby and get a divorce instead. Peace." Eh. Life happens. And at least she kept trying—some acts would've been all, "Never mind. I'm gonna hit the bigger markets and forget about you." But Ms. Jackson, SLC will get real nasty if you burn us again. (Just kiddin'. If there's one town that totally understands putting procreation above all else, it's us.) Anyway, Unbreakable (Rhythm Nation), her latest, came out in 2015 and was produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (formerly of The Time). It's fresh while also redolent of her classic material. (RH) Vivint Smart Home Arena, 301 W. South Temple, 8 p.m., $26.75-$122, all ages, vivintarena.com/events

Claxton Telltale

TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY 10/17-18Bob Dylan and His Band, Mavis StaplesSo about 18 years ago, Bob Dylan came through Utah on a co-headlining tour with Paul Simon. Helluva show, right? Two legendary songwriters in the same town at the same time is crazy. In the same building? Bonkers. On the same stage? Nuh-uh! Hugging? Now you're just bein' silly. But it happened. Sensitive Simon played first and curmudgeonly Dylan played last, bookending a joint set that saw Simon graciously introduce Dylan, who ambled on stage with a "We're not gonna hug again, are we?" look before, consigned to his fate, stiffly embracing his fellow headliner and friend. It was fuckin' awesome. 'Cause we can construct images of a musician's character from their music, media appearances and secondhand, single-perspective anecdotes and think we know them. But when you observe them in their element, on a stage before thousands of fans in hot icon-on-icon action, a collision of two stars with crazy gravity—and it looked awkward? That was a fascinating glimpse of Dylan's humanity, which he doesn't display, except in those incredible songs. And it just might play out that way again tonight, because you know gospel luminary Mavis Staples is a hugger. (RH) Eccles Theater, 131 S. Main, 7:30 p.m., $50-$125, all ages, live-at-the-eccles.com